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The Use of Metaphor in Art Making for Acceptance and Change with People who Experience Chronic Pain
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
http://hdl.handle.net/1860/2958
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| Title: | The Use of Metaphor in Art Making for Acceptance and Change with People who Experience Chronic Pain |
| Authors: | Braun, Rachel M |
| Keywords: | Art Therapy
Metaphor
Pain
Change
Acceptance |
| Issue Date: | 5-Feb-2009 |
| Abstract: | This study was designed to explore the use of metaphor in art making in order to
investigate the concepts of acceptance and change with people who experience chronic
pain. The primary question for this qualitative collective case study was: How does the
use of metaphor in art making help people with chronic pain express the experience of
acceptance and change? The research utilized a qualitative collective case study design to
collect and analyze the data obtained through: responses to the Chronic Pain Acceptance
Questionnaire and the Pain Stages of Change Questionnaire; the creation of two art tasks,
the first being “Draw a picture of yourself in a storm” and the second “Draw a picture of
a bridge going from one place to another place”; an open-ended responsive interview;
and a validation interview. Medical records were obtained for additional sources of data
that included: diagnosis, treatment, duration of pain condition, and demographic
information.
The results of this study suggested that although each participant’s experience of
exploring metaphor in art making was unique, there was some overlap in meaning, and
common themes emerged. It appeared that the use of metaphor in art making can help
people who experience chronic pain express the concepts of acceptance and change in the
following manner: 1) by introducing an opportunity for the openness to, or avoidance of a
situation, including the art making experience; 2) by providing a safe distance with which
to face a challenging situation; 3) through the metaphoric objectification of a situation,
allowing for assessment, clarity and wise decision-making; 4) by providing the means for
communication about the degree to which security and protection are implemented in
their lives; 5) by providing a way to explore personal and professional relationships; 6)
by providing a way to reflect the influence of past experiences on present and future
situations; and 7) through the discovery of a non-linear, meaningful and relaxing mode of
expression. Although further research is required, this study seems to suggest that the use
of metaphor in art making elicits a wealth of information regarding the concepts of
acceptance and change with people who experience chronic pain, and may not only prove
to be an affordable and beneficial brief art therapy treatment, but also a clinical
evaluative instrument with which to assess treatment goals. |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/1860/2958 |
| Appears in Collections: | Health Sciences Theses and Dissertations
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